


dragonheart

by nickofhearts



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Gen, M/M, Reign of Fire AU, The Obsidian Chronicles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-23 03:20:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12497540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickofhearts/pseuds/nickofhearts
Summary: Dragons AU! This takes the post-apocalyptic dragons scorched the world setting ofReign of Fire, and most of the "infectious" properties of dragon blood fromThe Obsidian Chronicles.





	dragonheart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dreamingcicadas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamingcicadas/gifts).



**I.**

Noct licked his lips, though the taste was long gone. The taste of the _dragon's blood_ that had spilled into his mouth, thick and cloying like mint leaves burned in a fire. He'd told Nyx that he hadn't ingested any of it, but he'd been lying. He _had,_ though he hadn't wanted to. Noct had heard all the stories of people who'd been infected by dragon's blood, how they'd turned into monsters.

It was just—once the taste had gotten in his throat, Noct couldn't get _enough._ He'd opened his mouth and let it flow over his tongue, swallowing desperately like he was dying of thirst. 

If he hadn't been pinned by the beams that had collapsed when they'd shot the dragon down, Noct probably would have tried to climb up and eat the dragon's _flesh._ If he hadn't been pinned by the beams though, he never would have gotten a taste of the deep dark blood that filled him now, singing through his veins making him _yearn_ for more.

Noct remembered to act pitiful when Nyx finally got to him, remembered to moan and whimper and lean against the captain as if his own legs couldn't hold him.

The blood had given him _power,_ but it was a power that the petty little mousies feared. If they knew he had it, they would try to rip it out of him.

-

It was—little things, at first. Noct fluttered his long dark lashes at Libertus during the dinner rush one night, asking, " _please,_ could I have another serving?" It'd never worked before, because rations were tight, and there was barely enough to go around, but this time Libertus beamed at him, wide and open, and gave him a whole second helping even more generous than the first.

Noct felt cold settle in his bones. Was that—the _dragon's_ power? He ate, but he didn't taste the food. He pushed what was left towards Prompto and headed up early to bed.

Noct lay down in his bedroll and bit at his knuckles. He _was_ still hungry, but it was nothing that was being served in the cafeteria could satisfy. He _knew_ what he wanted to eat, but he also knew he couldn't. The blood was a curse after all, and now Noct would never be free of it. The taste of it smeared over his knuckles was already so much better than the slop they'd served for dinner. Noct needed _more._

-

It was an accident. It had to be. It was just—Luche, getting in his fucking face about how he didn't _believe_ Noct hadn't just licked at even the tiniest bit of the dragon's blood that had practically covered his face, come _on,_ Noct, just admit it! They'd have to lock him up, of course, starve him until his _true_ colours showed, and then no one would feel bad about putting him down like the rabid dog he was. Just because he was the _prince,_ everyone was being so nice to him? _Princes could be infected too._

Noct had shoved Luche back with a roar of anger that had made the walls shake. Luche looked _pleased,_ and Noct saw his own eyes reflected in Luche's— _red,_ not blue.

Luche had brought a sword up, thinking he had the upper hand here, because Noct hadn't been carrying his, in the safety of the base. It didn't matter. Noct grabbed the steel in his bare hands and snapped it in two. He shoved at Luche again, hands on his chest, and the force had sent him tripping over his own feet.

It was only misfortunate luck that had Luche falling onto a pitchfork someone had left lying around after tending the plants outside, but the scent of Luche's blood was suddenly all Noct could smell, and it was _everywhere._

This time, Nyx didn't need to ask whether Noct had partaken of something he shouldn't have. Nyx walked right in on a horrific sight: that of Noct tearing Luche's flesh off his bones, so he could finally sate the gnawing hunger that had grown like a pit in his stomach ever since he'd drunk of the forbidden dragon's blood.

-

Nyx _did_ lock him up, wouldn't let Noct out no matter how much Noct screamed or pleaded. He only remembered what he'd done in bits and pieces, flashes of memory that terrified him now. Had he really—done that to Luche?

Noct curled up in a corner of the room, wondering how long it would take him to go _mad,_ like the stories said. He was already hungry again.

-

Noct felt it before he heard it, a stirring in his blood that made him warm all over, the heartbeat in his chest loud and echoing like there were _two_ hearts beating, out of sync. What was—

A screech split the air, and Noct knew: a _dragon_ had found their base.

He had to _help,_ but even the guard that watched his door had run to fight off the dragon, and Noct was left uselessly slamming his fists against it in helpless despair. He _needed_ —

Fresh air blew into his face as a whole side of the wall ripped open, and Noct was suddenly eye to eye with the dragon.

Noct somehow knew what to do. He _screamed_ as his bones cracked, growing larger and hollow, wings sprouting out of his back with a kind of agony that tore through him, but Noct _used_ the pain. It would only make him stronger. 

He leapt at the dragon that had come to _challenge_ him in his nest, and they fought a vicious battle, but _Noct_ was victorious, as was only right. 

He settled down with the spoils of his victory, tearing at the meat of the dragon like he hadn't eaten for _months._ Perhaps he hadn't, because the human feed was no longer what his body craved. Noct dug into his meal with a fervor that probably terrified the mousies gathered around him, frozen in indecision with their armaments raised.

One bravely came towards him when they saw that Noct was done, nothing left of the dragon that'd sought to trespass on _his_ territory but pieces of shattered bone.

"Noct?" Nyx asked him hesitantly.

Noct trilled an answer, then yawned with a wide satisfied grin. He'd had a good meal, and he was ready to _sleep._ He felt the dragon parts melt away as he took steps towards the captain, and he was just Noct again, falling into Nyx's open arms in a dead slumber. 

 

**II.**

"Sooo..." Prompto nudged him when they were sat down for breakfast. "You're a dragon now, huh? I thought they were all supposed to be vicious and evil, but you were purring in Nyx's arms like a little kitten when he brought you back in."

Noct went red. "Shut _up,_ " he glowered at Prompto, who held his hands up in mock surrender.

"It's cool, Noct. I'm just glad you're not thinking of eating _us._ " He punched Noct playfully on the shoulder, and Noct grunted in agreement. 

He was pretty sure the rest of the base didn't subscribe to Prompto's rather optimistic worldview, as Noct was still being watched by at least two members of the glaives, though Nyx seemed at least to trust him not to eat his friends. Or maybe, Noct thought depressingly, Nyx figured that the meal of a _dragon_ would tide him over for a while yet.

"Yay," Noct cheered, staring glumly at his porridge.

"If you don't want it..."

Noct pushed it over to Prompto, who was now lauding the fact that Noct being a dragon meant Prompto could have all his rations. Noct shook his head, but couldn't help cracking a smile. Trust Prompto to find the silver lining in everything.

-

It was a good while before they let Noct out on missions again, as they weren't sure how he'd react to the presence of another dragon. It _could_ be that the time at the base had been a fluke, and Noct would turn on the humans at the next opportunity. Noct was pretty sure he wouldn't, but his opinion on the matter was moot.

Nyx had only let him come along on a relatively low danger scavenging run—no dragons had been sighted in the vicinity for weeks—but of course one would decide to fly over just as they'd finished loading up all the supplies that were salvageable.

" _Shit,_ " Nyx hissed, shoving Noct down. "Don't—do anything!"

"But—"

And then the dragon had swooped in to breathe its fire on them, and Noct, following instincts he couldn't name, pushed _Nyx_ down instead to stand up as tall as he could. He held a hand out in front of him, facing the dragon with adrenaline pumping through his veins, drowning out the fear. 

" _Leave,_ " he commanded it, and to everyone's amazement—including his own—the dragon _did._

It spiraled back up into the sky and away like it had no desire to eat the little mousies that were as tasty morsels to it scurrying across the ground, though that was _all_ dragons did, when they'd scented any humans. Noct had heard stories of them camping outside of bases until the people inside had _starved._ It wasn't only the humans that lacked for meals these days, the dragons had eaten their food source almost dry as well. 

Noct stared at his hand in wonder. "Did you _see_ that, Nyx?! It left just because I told it to!"

"Alright, alright," Nyx told him, ruffling his hair. "Don't let it go to your head, _dragon whisperer._ " 

Noct grinned from ear to ear. How could he _not?_

 

**III.**

They'd finally found the nest of the— _Emperor_ of the Dragons, if there was even such a thing. Or at least the one that seemed to control the rest. They'd carefully tracked various other dragons who brought supplies, or _tithings?_ to a wicked looking spire that was situated atop a mountain, the stones of the winding steps that led up to it appearing to be cut from a kind of shiny onyx, echoing ominously with their footsteps.

"So uh, this is definitely a good idea, right?" Libertus whispered loudly.

"If we can take out this dragon, it has a good chance of destabilizing the rest," Nyx told him, as he had when they'd all been going over the plan. "You've seen how Noct can order them around. They've got a _pattern_ to their attacks, and this is the mastermind behind them."

"But what are our chances of making it out of this _alive,_ " Libertus hissed again.

Crowe thumped him upside the head. "If we die, we die _fighting,_ not whining like little bitches, Libs." 

Noct—and various other members of the glaives—snickered at that, and Libertus sputtering as he fumbled for a response.

"Quiet," Nyx suddenly commanded them. 

They'd reached the top of the steps, where an imposingly large door awaited them. It was also made completely of black onyx, and large enough to fit a dragon through—perhaps _two_ of the smaller end of the dragons they'd come across. 

Libertus gulped. "For hearth and home."

"For hearth and home!" the rest of them echoed, and then Nyx was advising _caution_ as they all leaned against the door to push it open enough to let them through.

-

Noct was the only one left stranding. He held his sword out before him as the dragon dropped back down again, lazily twisting in the air before it—shimmered?—and then it was in the shape of a man when it came to meet Noct. 

His companions were all lying unmoving on the ground, caught by the dragon's black fire, but Noct couldn't worry about that now.

"What _have_ we here?" the man spoke in musical tones. 

His eyes were still the slitted gold of when he'd been a dragon, though his clothes in this form were certainly fine, _fit_ for a supposed Emperor of Dragons. He wasn't naked like Noct always was when he woke back up after changing states, but adorned with beautiful garments and jewelry that chimed with each of his steps.

" _Who are you,_ " Noct snarled out, sword held before him.

"Oh _my,_ " the man spoke. "Such _fervor._ " He waved a hand, and Noct's sword went flying off to the side, leaving him defenseless. The man's hand came up to wrap around Noct's throat, lifting him off the ground. "You may call me _Ardyn,_ pet, though I have yet to decide if you shall live long enough to do so."

Noct struggled futilely, kicking out his legs.

"You have _quite_ the gift," Ardyn murmured. "Perhaps even greater than mine." His tongue—long and serpentine—flicked out to taste a drop of blood where his clawed hands had dug into Noct's skin. "Shall I eat you?" He seemed to contemplate it, then suddenly released his hold, depositing Noct back on the ground.

Noct gasped, crumpled in a heap and trying to drag air back into his lungs.

"No," Ardyn decided. "I think I shall _keep_ you." 

He yanked Noct to his feet, making him stumble after him, up the steps to Ardyn's grand throne and then into his lap, where Ardyn's arms closed around him so he could taste of the blood that'd been drawn to the surface at Noct's throat again. 

"My revenge is complete, but I _do_ lack for company," Ardyn murmured into his ear. "You are a pretty enough distraction."

Noct tried to protest, to refuse, _anything,_ but Ardyn had cut a line at his own throat, and the blood that flowed forth was _golden._ Noct was mesmerized, twisting closer to taste, and then drinking it down greedily by the mouthful. It was so much better than the disgusting ashen taste of the _first_ dragon that had bled for him—Ardyn tasted like the sweetest honey, his blood thick and rich with power, filling Noct with it so all his veins glowed with light too. He _purred_ as Ardyn pet his hair, and Noct's horns were twisting out of his head, except now he'd grown a second set in delicate gold, twining around the first.

"My _my,_ Noctis," Ardyn purred in return. He tipped Noct's face up for a kiss, and Noct was glad to receive it. "You shall be the _jewel_ of all my collection."


End file.
